Employers, educators and lawmakers nationwide are rightly focused on building a workforce capable of thriving in the 21st century economy. But people of color continue to lag behind on a range of economic and educational indicators, and women still face hurdles such as a stubborn pay gap driven in large part by their concentration in occupations with lower pay. With women comprising nearly half the workforce and the country as a whole nearing a future with no racial majority, such gaps threaten our economic success. Promoting policies that build a more diverse, equitable workforce with broad-based opportunities is essential to achieving a prosperous future.

The Connection Among Education, Training and Quality Assurance: This presentation will discuss the relationship of credit and non-credit credentialing and the need for a strong connection between the two. Information related to the nation’s completion agenda and how institutions, states, and businesses are stepping up to ensure a well-qualified workforce exists well into the 21st Century.